On October 21, NFA's Executive Committee passed a resolution to recommend to NFA's Board of Directors an increase in NFA's Futures Commission Merchant (FCM) assessment fee from $0.01 per side to $0.02 per side. In addition, the Committee recommended an increase in the Forex Dealer Member (FDM) assessment fee from $0.01 per $10,000 of notional value to $0.02.

Pending approval by both the Board of Directors and the CFTC, the increase will become effective on January 1, 2011.

In January 2008, NFA reduced the FCM assessment fee by 50% to $0.01 per side. When Members were notified of this fee reduction, NFA noted that the fee reduction may be sustainable for two years. In fact, NFA has been able to sustain the fee for the past three years despite a reduction in public trading volume. However, in order for NFA to continue to fund its operations and maintain adequate reserves, an increase in the assessment fee has become necessary.

The increase will mark only the third time in NFA's 28-year history that it has increased the fee. Conversely, NFA has decreased the fee eight times during the past 10 years.